The present invention relates to roping practice aids and particularly to such aids that have the capability of releasing a rope loop.
The western sport of team roping requires extensive practice. "Heading", for example, requires that the rider "header" throw a lasso loop from a fast moving horse over the horns of a fast running steer. Certain actions must immediately follow a successful roping effort. The header must jerk the rope tight to be sure of a horn catch. The rope must be "dallied" and the horse must be turned at an angle to the taut rope, holding it tight. Failure to do this often results in a time loss because the steer will not be positioned for the "heeler" or second roper who must catch the steer by one or both hind legs.
Actual "heading" roping practice requires use of a horse, a steer, and a large open area. This is not usually practical due to set up time, space requirements, and availability of good roping stock. Even with stock available, practice is tedious because the rider or an aid must disengage the loop from the steer's horns after each roping effort. Furthermore, soreness can develop at the base of the horns if a steer is roped too often. Horses can also be maltrained or overworked while the rider is merely practicing roping. It therefore becomes desirable to make use of a roping "dummy" and a sawhorse mounted to a saddle to safely and effectively practice throwing the "horn loop".
There are many variations of home made roping dummies, ranging from broomsticks embedded in hay bales to tripod mounted steer skulls. Commercial devices such as simulated steer heads made of rotation molded plastics are also in wide use. The hollow plastic heads are mountable to hay bales by anchor spikes.
The dummy is set up in a relatively open area where the roper can take position behind at a distance equivalent to that preferred during actual roping (usually 8 to 10 feet). Preferably a sawhorse and saddle are set up at this point so the roper can learn the proper roping technique from a saddle.
After the horn loop has been thrown, the header has several tasks that must follow in quick succession. These tasks should be practiced along with throwing of the horn loop.
During actual roping, as briefly alluded to above, the properly thrown horn loop must be pulled tight around the captured horns. This is done as the roper settles into the saddle from a standing throwing position and jerks the loop tight. This is done by pulling the rope down and back so the throwing hand swings rearwardly past the knee. This movement places the rope along the steer's back (hay bale) and will not flip the loop off the horns. The horse's reins must be held steady during this movement. Otherwise, the loop could be pulled askew and either miss the horns or complete an illegal catch. The rein hand should therefore be held steady as the slack is jerked.
After jerking the rope tight, the roper must then "dally" or wrap the free end of the rope arond the saddle horn and then "set" the steer in position for the heeler. "Setting" is done by abruptly slowing the horse and turning at an angle relative to the caught animal. The heeler then rides up to throw a loop around one or both of the steer's hind legs. On accomplishing this, the heeler manuevers his horse to pull the rope taut.
Team roping is typically a two rope event. That is to say, the header and heeler are each allowed to carry two ropes If one loop fails, a second can be thrown. It is therefore a good idea to practice roping in quick succession.
Known forms of roping dummies, including both commercial and homemade versions, have serious drawbacks, since the loop cannot be removed without assistance or unless the roper dismounts, collects the loop, and then remounts for the next throw. In fact, continuous roping practice, using two ropes, cannot be effectively practiced with dummies having fixed horns. It therefore becomes desirable to obtain a roping dummy that includes mechanism for releasing the loop after a successful throw.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,066,939 to D. E. Sprout discloses a roping dummy that includes a tripod mechanism by which a head and hinged horns can be secured to the ground. The device has freely pivoted horns that move from horizontal normal orientations to upright positions for releasing a lasso loop. The horns pivot about parallel axes on a head shaped frame between the two postions. There is no slide actuator for retracting the horns into the head shaped housing. Furthermore, there is no provision for automatically returning the horns to the normal horizontal positions as controlled by the roper. Instead, the horns return by gravity due to their cantilevered weight about the pivot axis. Tension applied along the length of the rope will cause the horns to swing upwardly and release the loop. This action can happen so quickly that it becomes difficult for the rider to tell whether or not he has completed a legal catch of both horns. The quick releasing action also precludes "dallying" practice.
The present roping training aid provides the unique feature of roper actuator retractable horns. The horns will retract in response to tension applied along the length of a long lanyard, held in the rein hand of the roper. The horns pivot upward and together while retracting into the head, assuring a clean, quick release of the loop when the roper so desires. This is done as the roper pulls on the lanyard, using the same motion used to rein in and turn the horse to "set" the steer for the heeler. The saddle mounted roper can "dally" just prior to releasing the loop because the horns will not retract until the lanyard is pulled. These features enable thorough practice of the complete roping sequence beyond the simple loop throwing practice facilitated by prior apparatus. Other distinct advantages will become evident from the accompanying description and attached drawings.